The Anthro-Pokemon Series
by Augustino Alighieri
Summary: Pokemon are anthropomorphic individual's with special powers that set them above humanity, but as a minority they mostly live in hiding. A series of inter-regional underground associations known as the Branch's work to keep peace, whilst human and Pokemon alike make up the ranks of criminals for their own ends.
1. 1 Water Shuriken

Little fic I've been working on in my spare time. I obviously plan to work at it when I can, but with that said - I'll only be able to work on it when I can. I hope you all enjoy!

I don't own Pokemon nor anything else that may be referenced.

* * *

_**The Modern Day, Castelia City.**_

Almost two centuries ago, a portal opened up in the sky that brought forth new species. Specifically, 718 new types of creatures that now roam our world. They were all somewhat human-like, indulging in individual characteristics that likened them to our own genus, but each was also unique. Some were stronger, faster, and more durable. Some could command the elements at will, and some were even rumoured to possess power on god-like levels. However, mankind made it their immediate mission to track down and subjugate these individual species, like all else they'd encountered. At the current hour, of the current day of the current year, these species had repopulated amongst themselves within human society, but were far and away more marginalised than any human minority. For the most part they were not treated poorly; there were just so few of them. They did not take simple, ordinary places in society though – due to their powers, they were used for violence, international conflict and war. Some were left out, those with powers suited to other places and even a fair number of these species made it into the business world.

They were known as Pokemon; Pocket Monsters – monsters in the pocket of humanities ire.

However, for most it was a life of killing or to be killed – and most of them were good at it. Guns were seen as a pathetic tool of weakness for these creatures, whose own blows could level buildings with the very strongest of them. Likewise, there were Pokemon who could outright outpace bullets fired from a barrel, rendering the projectile arms useless against them.

This tale focuses on one such creature of a latter species. Working for a new syndicate that maintains order as best it can – the Pokemon Branch of Unova – our protagonist makes his own life amongst humankind.

_**11:37pm, Narrow Alleyways.**_

He stumbled and fell, tripping up on his own footsteps before scrambling back to his feet and sprinting wildly away. Even with the darkness, the goggles he'd stolen from the museum meant that the alleyway was as bright as day to him, and only his own clumsiness could impede him now.

Then suddenly, a shadow leapt above him and dashed past, provoking the crook to hastily equip his handgun and raise it in fear. He circled the ground, looking in all directions with the weapon up and ready to use at a moments notice. The night was quiet, and stayed so until the man was satisfied enough that he started running again. Thought as soon as he built up a steady pace, the shadow reappeared, this time it crashed into him and sent him sprawling.

'-Hey!' He cried out as he hit the wall, falling to his knees. The hand holding the pistol gripped in rush anger and he raised it again at the offender, intending to open fire after giving the shadow a piece of his mind.

What he saw however, silenced him. Standing against the wall opposite in the near-unlight was a short figure of 155cm in stature. His arms were crossed sternly across his chest, hands tucked into the elbows. Two eyes glared back at him, the only visible facial features.

'You're…one of them…' The crook muttered with a slack-jaw.

'Indeed, how observant of you.' The creature replied in a voice of low but smooth sounds. It stepped out of the dark, almost trailing it with him as he revealed himself to be akin to it.

The shorter man was garbed entirely in a black cloth that tainted blue in the right light, wrapped around his body over and over like crematorial bindings; even his fingers and feet – shaped as though there was a boot beneath – had been bound meticulously. It wrapped completely around his head too, only open for his eyes to pierce through and at the back for his bright pink, back-facing spikey hair – pulled back by a headband that tailed two pieces of cloth. The material ended at his neck, forming another two trailing scarves – this set being as long as his body.

'Y-you…half-breed!' The criminal opened fire, releasing three shots into the space in front of him. Next thing he knew – even before the sound of the gun had registered in his mind – the creature occupying that space had disappeared. He dimly looked around to see where he went, when he heard a whistle from up high.

'Really, you should know better than to try those archaeic weapons against _a half-breed_.' The black-garbed man was now crouching casually on the above wall, staying against the verticle slope as if it wasn't there.

_He's on the wall… '_Bug-Type!' The criminal registered, acknowledging one of the traits that defined the insectine group of species from the other 17.

'Ooh, very well done. Now can you tell me what _species_ I am?' The wall-sticker mocked. He didn't receive a response as the criminal began sprinting away again, firing wayward bullets behind him. Our hero easily dodged them without thinking, giving a bored sigh as the man tore away from him down the narrow alleyway.

The runner left his chaser behind, slipping into the darkness and not slowing his pace at all. He gave a self-satisfied smirk, before running headfirst into a swinging knee that came out of nowhere. Hitting the ground, shouting in pain, and finally rubbing his certainly bleeding forehead, he looked back up to see his cross-armed chaser leaning against the wall.

…_How did he catch up so quickly!?_

'Really, this will be a lot easier for you if you surrender.'

The criminal grunted in defiance and shot more rounds, all of them completely avoided by their target.

'At the very least you could try to fight with your hands or perhaps a knife you might be carrying. Guns got boring the second we figured out how weak you humans really are.' More shots were fired, each one avoided with utmost apathy. A few more rounds and the pistol was clicking empty. The criminal fumbled with reloading, and in that moment of clumsiness the weapon was kicked out of his hand.

'Outstanding.' The Bug-Type commented. 'Now, try hitting me.'

The man gave a powerful swing in desperation, aiming at the pink-haired head of his foe. He missed completely, his target ducking under. Immediately after he tried for a second swing at the gut, but the shorter creature spun on his heel out of the way, swinging into a low sweep that knocked the crook's legs out from under him.

'Shit!' The fallen criminal exclaimed as his back hit the ground, followed up by his assailant's heel pushing into his neck. He let out a gurgling choke as the Bug-Type chuckled and forced down harder with his foot.

'Let me go, Bug!'

He looked down in amusement and shifted his weight. 'Of course, because you're _so _persuasive.' The pink-haired creature lifted his other foot and pressed it down against the elbow of his victim, earning a cry of pain.

'Gy-aah!'

'Now, you'll come quietly?' The black-garbed one whispered, twisting the impliment ever so slightly.

'Yes, yes!' He struggled a bit, but his flailing limbs did little to improve the situation. His attacker let up and lifted his heel, replacing it with a syringe.

'Thank you for your cooperation.'

_**Castelia City, Southern Port.**_

The black-garbed agent had lugged his unconscious prize around the city with him, an easy but still tedious task that he'd undertaken many times before. His ability to literally walk up walls – courtesy of Bug-Typing – cling to shadows effortlessly and move faster than most acknowledged levels of speed meant that the journey was comparitively short.

He reached the waters edge at the far end of the pier, giving one last check to the surroundings before dumping the limp body into a small speedboat. Quickly and as quietly as possible he set off in the craft and sprinted against small waves, bouncing on the water.

Eventually he reached an island out in the bay, one that from all other appearances looked deserted. Setting the boat along the shore, he leaped out with his prize over his shoulder to continue the return. As his lower legs were bathed in the shallows his boat was parked in, he took a sigh of relief – water always felt nice.

As he began to walk up the gradual slope that peaked a short hill at the centre of the island, he lamented on his life.

_Sneaking, hunting, hiding. _He thought to the other part of his activities. _Fighting, capturing, killing…Still, it's better than no life._ Suddenly, a small pocket in his bindings began to buzz, drawing his attention. He reached down and procured the offending cause – a hand-sized flip phone that was vibrating in his palm. With an annoyed grunt the Bug-Type creature answered it.

'Q1, always a pleasure.'

'**Don't give me that, you're supposed to be back at base in four minutes.'**

'I'm almost there, ma'am. I just got a bit caught up detaining the target.'

'**You recovered the stolen article, I trust?'**

'Yes, yes.' He answered back. 'After Spec's violates whatever it is, it'll be returned to its rightful owner.' He knew the procedure. 'What of the human?'

'**Passed on to human authorities, this one is of no interest to us.'**

'Yes ma'am.' By this point in time the agent had reached the top of the hill, marked by a single, lone tree stump. 'I'm just coming in now, shall we continue this conversation inside.'

'**Yes, Faust. Come straight to my office once you've deposited the two items.'** Q1 replied, closing the line.

The entity known as Faust chuckled, putting the phone away. As he neared the stump, he jumped atop it and tapped his foot four times on its rim, then a fifth on the flat of it. As expected, the stump jerked slightly before lowering into the ground, taking him and the unconscious crook with it. Several minutes later – after a gradual shift in the dirt tunnels to sterile metal walls – he reached the lobby, where behind a desk were two humans – one blue haired and one a vibrant red. Each party gave a curt nod to the other as Faust walked to the door leading into the main facility, nothing more.

To the left of the dual doors was a wall-mounted box, with several keys and buttons on it. Each agent of each branch had a unique code that would allow them access to the main facilities, and Faust punched his in without even looking.

_617-ACC_.

_**Unova Branch, Main Hall.**_

The glass doors gave way, permitting him to resume his stride. The main hall was a grand, circular chamber with many stairways leading from doors above the main floor – bearing semblence to the Battle Station in Nimbasa. Within the hall several bodies bustled in busiwork, both human and Pokemon alike. This was one of the few places that all were equal – even if it were for a multitude of reasons.

Faust had noticed that some humans saw Pokemon as equals by raising their status within the humans' perception; others had lowered humans' status to match that of the Pokemon. Neither case was ideal, but far better than how most were treated in the rest of society – particularly the more rural areas.

Regardless, he made his way over to the stairway two places left of the lobby where he entered. The board above the door read _Forensics_, though it really worked as the general sciences area. Faust tried to – as he always did – make this visit as soon as possible. He dumped the unconscious human on the desk and walked out, but he just wasn't quick enough.

'Ah, Field Agent…you brought me a present?' A slow, ancient voice wooshed out from behind him. Faust grimaced and turned, bringing the floating, long-armed Pokemon into his vision.

'Ciril. Try not to eviscerate this one.' The Bug berated him, earing a wry glare from the Forensic scientist.

Ciril the Sigilyph was a tall, wide-eyed creature of immensly strange proportions. He had long, sticky arms that could've strangled a Girafarig with ease. His estranged, multi-coloured garb hung off his frame like a poncho, complimented by the many, many articles of jewelery. The Psychic-Type floated wistfully off the ground without thought, usually trailling his clothes along it if he wasn't high enough. Off his shoulders, sleeves and collar hung numerous multi-coloured feathers, and he wore a tall, pointed hat to top off his eccentric appearance.

'Evicerate…hmmm…is your opinion of me that looooowwww?'

'Try not to think about it. When you're done give him over to the human police.' Faust turned away from the strange creature, walking as fast as a normal man would run. He seldom visited the Forensic Office, and more often than not Ciril was not the one to meet him. The two creatures who served alongside Ciril were of the Archeops and Carracosta species respectively, both amiable creatures – if a little…outdated in mannerisms.

A modest Pokemon, Faust didn't bother flaunting his incredible speed for the sake of boasting, but he did run to Q1's office as fast as he could – rendering a nigh-invisible blur to most.

As he reached the office, a single guard stood outside. He was of the Druddigon species, a hunched, thorny figure with unnaturally long, muscular arms and spiked wings on his back, wearing militiant officer attire with remarkably long tails and answering to the name of Leandros. The Dragon-Type wore mantle colours of red and blue – with the former mimicking his bright shock of spiky hair, and he eyed the Bug as he approached.

The Pokemon forced Faust to stop mid-stride for the obligatory frisking – the frisking in question done by Q1's nearby secretary; a Gothitelle named Elliot. Finding him clean, they allowed him passage through the doorway and into Q1's office.

'My lady.' He made his presence known to the back of the chair that sat behind the ebony desk, bowing curtly.

'Faust? You're actually on time.' Replied a stern, commanding female voice. The chair didn't move as Q1 spoke to him, as was her reputation demanded.

'I try to be as punctual as possible, my lady.' The Bug took his place, standing a few metres before her desk with his arms crossed.

'Truly.' She said. 'Though that isnt anything special for an individual of your species, Accelgor.'

Faust grumbled. 'Regardless, I don't think you called me here for a social reason – nor the trivial incident regarding the stolen museum goggles.'

'Indeed.' The chair didn't move to reveal Q1 directly, but a holographic screen came up before it for Faust to see. On it were various faces of Pokemon, all with roguelike features about them. The Accelgor took a moment to note each ones species before replying.

'So what's this about? It isnt related to…?'

'No, of course not.' Q1 replied. 'These are several Pokemon that are wanted throughout the six regions for various crimes and villainy, all with considerable bounties on their heads. So far we havent been too interested in it, because none of the culprits are Unova natives and they havent concerned themselves with our region as of such. As far as we know, none of them are working together-'

'-But it would be foolish to rule out that they arent.' Faust finished.

'Yes.' The Unova Branch Leader confirmed.

Faust paused a bit before continuing. 'Still, why are we dealing with them? As you said, none of these Pokemon are from Unova.'

'True, but all of them are currently residing in Unova – possibly for that exact reason, too.'

'Because they aren't natives, the human populace are less likely to recognize them?'

'Yes, and thus they elude detection.'

The Accelgor shifted his weight from foot to foot, still with his arms crossed. 'So you want me to capture them?'

She let out a short laugh. 'Capture or kill. It's gotten to the point where the Branch Leaders no longer care – that speaks for me as well.'

Faust nodded. 'I understand.' His species was of one of the rare Bug-Types that didn't specialise in capture – unlike particularly glaring examples such as Galvantula or Ariados. Having the option to simply kill his marks was a great boon. Still, looking at some of the faces he couldn't help but feel somewhat anxious.

'My lady…if I may say so, many of these Pokemon outclass me on a fundamental level. It's true that few things outspeed my pace, but I am fragile at best…and the Bug-Type has many predators.'

'I'm aware. And that is why you'll be receiving back-up. I'm placing you in command of a 5-man cell, including yourself.'

The Accelgor winced – teamwork was not his forte – but he kept it quiet. She might not have been able to see him, but she could certainly hear him. '…Yes, my lady. Who of the Unova Branch will be on this team?'

'Well, as this case is an international matter – you'll be receiving support from more than Unova. You'll be meeting two of them soon, one who is already here – and one tomorrow. At that point the case will officially start; the others will arrive gradually as they finish their individual assignments. One from Hoenn, two from Kalos and someone else of Unova.

'Mm. Who from Unova?' He asked again.

There was a silence, but it felt suspiciously like a cruel and wry smile. 'One of our Dragons. She's away on a mission currently and will join you last.'

Faust processed the information, before suddenly spluttering and becoming frightfully rigid. 'Wait…did you say _she_!?'

'I did, Accelgor.'

He shivered. _There's only one female Dragon that the Unova Branch contracts…Last time I saw her she…_The muscule memory of pain almost hurt to think about, being blasted clean across the field last time they'd sparred – all those years ago. He distilled it and recomposed himself, letting out a little groan, he resumed talking.

'Understood…anything else, ma'am?' He asked as he exhaled slowly, nodding curtly into his folded arms.

'One of these agents – the Hoenn one – is an old friend. Treat him well.'

'Yes, my lady.' He began to retreat from the office.

'Oh, and Faust?' She asked just as he opened the door. 'Don't get killed. It wouldn't be the same if my fastest agent died and I had to rely on the Gregory on a bicycle to sort things out fast enough.' She mentioned the natural rival of Accelgor with the casualness of any small talk.

Faust just frowned and left.

_**The Next Day, Unova Branch, Battledome.**_

After being dismissed, Faust was told by Elliot that his first new teammate would be staying in the temporary holdings at to the sparring arena – colloquially known as the Battledome. The Pokemon he'd be meeting was one of the Kalos field agents, a Water-Type who went by the name of Liquid.

_How original._

Striding alongside the massive, curving walkways that encompassed the main arena and doubled as seats when there was a particularly interesting match going on, Faust ignored the occaisonal other life forms he passed – both Pokemon and human. Eventually he made it to the row of iron doors that marked these temporary holdings, and knocked on the one matching the number he'd been given. From the same information packet, this Pokemon's ID code was _658_-_GRE_.

***Knock-knock*** The Acceglor rapped his knuckle against the metal twice, following it up with a vocal provocation. 'Kalos agent, are you in there?' No response. 'It's the cell leader for the international criminal case!'

Again, no response. Faust frowned and turned to leave, whoever was ignoring him now would have to seek him out later – when suddenly an odd hissing sound reached his ears from above. He looked up and instinctively adopted a combat-ready stance, fingers flickering with uncertainty.

'_Se détendre_, _insecte_. No need to be so vicious.' The voice was laced in a thick, foreign accent – though not so strong as to mask the words themselves.

From above Faust, a lean, stringy creature roughly his own height clung with all fours to the wall, observing the Accelgor. The creature wore a skin-tight suit of what looked like nylon, though it was simoultaneously too sturdy-looking to be just that. Several pouches were belted to the waistline and four extra ones were stitched to the thigh. The pouches were black, whereas the various tron-lines running all over the suit were a several shades darker – though the main body of the suit itself was a sickly green colour that looked completely unnatural. Between all the white-tipped fingers and toes it was webbed, the tips of each digit were padded slightly more. For the head; bright, spikey aqua-blue hair topped the lower half of his face and neck covered in a black skin-mask – with large and eerie yellow eyes. Around his neck and covering the face further was a heavy-looking scarf that was longer than most – though not half as long as Faust's.

'_Bonjour_, _insecte_.' The Pokemon twisted his body off the wall, coming down off it with a poised, delicate movement that ending in two feet planting on the ground. Faust noted the creature was a few inches taller than himself, though standing at full height made it more awkward-looking than the nigh-skeletal Ciril back in Forensics.

'Liquid, is it?'

'_Oui_, if that will do for you, I am happy.' The accented voice replied, jaw bouncing beneath the face mask. With his long fingers, the Pokemon pulled the obscuring material down – to reveal a white-skinned face and wide mouth. It was also now that Faust noticed the incredibly long and triangular ears pointing backwards on his head. 'Forgive me for the strangeness of my introduction; I merely wanted to see my new captain before he saw me.'

'Wish granted.' Faust replied, stern and cross-armed – though the latter was merely a comfortable stance for him. 'I've seldom seen Kalosian Pokemon before, and none of your species – what are you?'

Liquid went stiff, striking his heels together and adopted a formal stance with one fist over his chest. 'I am known as Liquid, Field Agent of the Kalos Branch. My species is Greninja; default typing is Water and Dark. My specialties' are in speed and special attack – though I personally maintain a preference for physical attacks.'

The Accelgor almost winced at the formality. 'No need to be so rigid with me, I don't need you to abide by tradition, just act efficiently under my command.'

'Very well, if you prefer.' The self-identified Greninja lowered his stance, shifting into a loose-armed hunch – though not as severe as Leandros the Druddigon's.

Faust then remarked upon the given information in his mind, recalling it. 'Speed and special attack you say? The same as me then.' He observed the colour of Liquid's garb. 'However, you said you were Water/Dark-Type, that pallour you're wearing is usually associated with my own type; Bug.'

'Ah, that is due to my ability; _Protean_.' The Kalosian clasped his hands and made a seal with his fingers. Instantly, the colour of his attire changed from the sickly bug-green to a lively marine-blue. At the same time, the Pokemon let his mouth hang open and a long, sticky tongue showed itself, though quickly crept back into his mouth.

'_Plus comfortable_.' The frog muttered to himself. '_C'est ma forme normale_.'

'_Protean_? How does that work?'

As Liquid began to explain, Faust refamiliarised himself with the passive abilities of Pokemon. In addition to the elemental powers, near-superhuman prowess and colourful appearances, each Pokemon possessed a passive ability that granted them certain advantages. Several Pokemon could possess the same ability – even those of other species – while some abilities were unique to a single Pokemon – usually of the Legendary class.

'You can actually change your typing based on what attacks you use and by analysing your surroundings?' Faust asked in response to the explanation.

'_Oui_, _par example_ – I altered my typing to Bug by seeing you and taking in your characteristics, granting me the power to do such things as cling to walls.'

Faust exhaled in semi-awe, impressed. 'I imagine such an ability is extremely useful.'

'Extremely. I'm I wasn't drafted here for no reason – though for this case I'm going to do assisting in any manner, naturally.' Liquid gave a short bow.

Faust drummed his fingers over the folded arm at his bicep, observing his new subordinate quietly. Several moments went by before either of them spoke, the silence broken by the frog.

'_Excuse moi_, captain, but do you need me for anything else?'

The Unovan native took the question and responded. 'Yes, actually. As this is my first time in command of a cell – nay, acting with others at all – I imagine that a better way to get to know one another would be through competition.'

'Really, of what sort?'

'Nothing overly extravagant, just a friendly spar.' Behind the bandages over his face the Accelgor smiled. No one could beat him at speed – he ran circles even around the fastest Unova field agents.

Liquid considered the notion. 'How…casual. Very well, if you feel it would be appropriate.'

Faust began leading the Greninja away from the latter's holdings and towards the nearest entrance to the Battledome, smirking as he went. 'Y'know, part of the reason the temporary holdings for foreign agents is right next to the sparring arena is because so often we judge a Pokemon by their ability to stand in battle – as well as testing their morality.'

Liquid widened one eye.

'More often than not we can save lives by checking for when someone will take one. When you aim to kill someone in the arena, you're deemed unfit for operational missions until further notice. We don't want killers roaming the streets, even if it is for security.' Faust elaborated, he wondered wether they had the same rules in Kalos.

'Oh, I fear that that may be a bit of a problem for me, _insecte_.'

Faust looked over his shoulder at the wetsuit-clad figure behind him as they turned a corner, heading down the stairway between seats that would lead to the open arena. To a Unovan the Battledome was most likened to the grand event domes in Nimbasa City – but rather than grass the ground was a smooth texture with a layer of sand. Nor was it as large – with four separate arenas that were about 40x60 metres, sitting in a square with one another. When a tournament or large-scale spar session was held, the barriers between the four arenas would be lowered to grant a greater range for combat. Furthermore, all arenas were customisable at the touch of a button, with obstacles capable of rising from the ground and even change weather conditions without opening the ceiling to the elements – then again, the entire Unova Branch Base was underground, there'd be no point

. All of the arenas had a "Pokemon-proof" plexiglass surrounding them, shielding the audience from combat while still allowing them to watch.

'Why is that?' The Accelgor asked back, nearing the first arena.

A small chuckle rose from the frog. '_Parce que_…I am Kalos' greatest Field Agent of assassination.'

Faust stiffened a little as he reached to punch his ID code into the adjacent lock to the door. _So that's why he's here, he's a trained killer. _Faust thought. _So, like me if I was actually given credit for my lethal ability. _What made Acceglor dangerous was not the hitting power it had, but the speed at which it could move. As he hit the last number, he managed to recompose himself and stepped in to the arena, inviting the other one in.

'Any preferences for the field?'

'_Non_, _tu choisis_.' Liquid walked past Faust and took his place at one end of the area. 'Rules?'

'No killing.' Faust answered in utter deadpan. 'First one to draw blood wins?'

The other Pokemon considered it for a second, before nodding in agreement. Faust made no alterations to the arena, leaving it flat and unchanged. He walked over to his starting spot – marked by a line halfway between the middle and one end.

'_Commence_?'

Faust smirked. 'Don't be so hasty.'

Liquid grinned, shifting the scarf around at the corner of his mouth. 'Tell me, _insecte_, do you think you can catch me? I'm one of Kalos' fastest agents.'

Faust cocked his head. '_One _of?' He repeated. 'I _am _Unova's fastest agent.' He paused, letting his feet settle in the sand. 'Let's begin.'

The entire atmosphere shifted in that moment, the air becoming stiff and heavy between the two speedsters – both poised and half-crouching in readiness. Neither moved for a second, simply letting the silence hum of battle creep up on them. At the moment, no one was in the stands watching – they were letting their privacy increase the intimacy of their conflict while it lasted.

Then suddenly, the Greninja moved like lightning. Faster than someone in a suit that tight nor that lean had any right two – but his bulbous thighs powered him forward in his sprint, bringing him closer to his target. Drawing two small blades from his pouches, Liquid held them between the fingers of his right hand and steadied them.

Opposite him, Faust flexed his fingers, curling his hands into tight fists. The bindings around his arms tightened at will, giving him more protection there. He drew his right foot back in a slow, dragging arc, waiting for his attacker to reach him.

Then in a seemingly impossible second, the two clashed. The flats of Liquid's blades hit Faust's arm, locking the edges there. The Greninja followed up with a swift kick to his opponents abdomen – which was blocked by the bug's rising shin, fueled by the built-up power from being drawn back before.

With their legs still interlocked, the two pulled themselves away and began striking at each other. Each parry was equal parts attack, and vice-versa. Between blows, Liquid was dancing the blades between his fingers, shifting their position for each directional swing. However, the Accelgor managed to gain the upper hand.

With a straight lunge of his fist, he caught the frog off guard and knocked the blades out of his hand. He moved in for a follow-up strike, but Liquid was already reacting to the previous attack.

'**U-Turn!**' The Water-Type declared, utilising one of the many attacks unique to Pokemon. He placed his left hand in front of his face – making a two-fingered seal with it – and moved faster than the eye could see.

Faust felt the other fist jab swiftly into his gut, followed by a pair of feet kicking powerfully off his chest. Staggering back, Faust swatted a hand in front of him to ward off his foe – only to realise that Liquid had retreated several metres away. His suit had turned that same bug-green that it had been when they met.

_Protean…I wonder what the scope of your morphing abilities are – if they have any limit at all._ Faust moved into action, wanted to close the distance between them. His feet made no sound on the ground as he hastened forth at wind-breaking speeds, proving that his claim as Unova's fastest agent wasn't vainly made.

At the last second, the shorter Pokemon leapt into the air and drew his right fist back. As he fell, he brought the clenched knuckle down on Liquid's head – though the latter put his arms in the way. Without even time to take a breath, Faust stayed airborne as he swung his foot underneath his opponent's parry, catching him in the chest with his toe.

Liquid let the force of the hit carry him, shifting seamlessly into a backflip that placed distance between himself and the Accelgor. He panted in pain – but if Faust's instincts were at all correct he was smiling madly behind the face-obscuring scarf.

'_Tres bein_, _insecte_!' With that he crouched onto three limbs and used the fourth to pick open one of his pouches. Faust let him, taking his place a little ways away as he was still observing what his enemy could do rather than just mindlessly attacking. However, the fingers on his right hand were dancing, and the air around them hummed with a shrill buzzing.

Liquid drew three shuriken out from the pouch, and tossed all of them in successsion at his foe. Faust nimbly ducked and dodged them, still maintaining the vibration in his hand.

'My, my, you _are _fast!' The frog repeated his action, but this time called an attack. '**Water Shuriken**!' He shouted, tossing the five throwing blades on one swing. Faust tensed and moved to dodge – vaulting over the first one by flipping on his hand – yet as it passed his face he noticed the blue colour it took and the little droplets of water spinning off the blades as it moved through the air. And then-

_Thump! Thump! Thump! Splash!_

The bug was hit by each of the four following attacks – bruising him badly with each hit. It seemed that being doused in water made them stronger – but seemed to blunt them – they also seemed to be faster than before…

_Shit…_Faust thought, trying to pick himself off the ground as quickly as possible. When he stood up Liquid was already charging at him – his garb now the standard blue. Faust managed to block a blade-armed hand at the last second, but not the punch that followed it.

'G-uh!' He coughed, not letting the attack slow him down. He let the punch push him backwards, and as he fell and space opened up between the two of them he outstretched his right and and announced;

'**Bug Buzz**!' He called, willing the humming air around his hand into a violent vibration – aimed directly at Liquid's face.

'Ragh!' The frog cried out in shock, knocked off his feet by the power. Both combatants back away from each other, back flipping and tumbling over. When they took to their feet Faust was panting slightly, his shoulders rising and falling. Opposite him, Liquid had a hand over his face – hovering a few centimetres away with a pained expression behind it. Bug-Type attacks had a tendency to sting. _Painfully_.

Both fighters acknowledged the other, before reigniting their spar.

'**Water Shuriken**!'

'**Energy Ball**!'

The flung projectiles shot past each other, with both fighters attempting to dodge. As soon as he'd registered Faust's attack, Liquid had become unfocused and thus his aim was off. Nevertheless, two of the impossibly fast shuriken's hit the Accelgor over the stomach and created more bruises. At the same time, the Grass-Type attack had been completely dodged, but at the cost of forcing the Greninja airborne – where he was vulnerable.

_I have two options. _Faust thought as he considered the scene. _Attack him while he can't maneuver properly…or buff myself._ The decision was made as Liquid began to fall from his jump, resulting in Faust splaying his fingers and pressing them against his chest, palm-in.

_**Agility**__!_

Liquid made a three-point landing and looked up, grinning. His first instinct was to reach into his back pocket for more shurikens – proving a slow but sure way to deal damage to his foe. As he coated their blades in water and prepared to toss, he saw something that unsettled him.

More specifically; he saw Faust's knee, in his face.

His scarf blocked a fair bit of the blow, but the eye-watering pain of damaged cartilage was felt. He lost focus and staggered back, letting the weapons in his hand drop to the ground and splash apart. Before him was nothing more than a dark blur of scarves and speed, something he could barely keep track of.

The Bug-Type delivered another blow – a punch to the gut – with no prior warning of movement. At double speed, Accelgor outstripped everything else without question and Faust was proving it. Liquid could only raise his arms to parry before being hit somewhere else with succession of fast strikes, not even quick enough to deal a counterattack as Faust had already moved out of range. Every time he tried to parry, Faust was too fast and hit somewhere unprotected. Every time he tried to hit him with a ranged attack, Faust was too fast and had moved back in to strike again.

Even when the Accelgor was standing still he was a blur, vibrating with unimaginable speed.

Faust delivered a particularly strong blow at one point, and saw the Greninja try to use that momentum to put distance between them. He foiled it by grabbing the scarf – cringing at the wet texture – and pulling him in for another hit.

Finally, Faust reached out to his aching opponent and clutched at his face. His tightly-bound fingers dug into Liquid's face, and he took a second to give dramatic air to his finishing move.

'**Bug Buzz**.'

With a scream and the sound of hundreds of buzzing Beedrill, Liquid went limp and let his arms fall loose. Faust slowly drew his hand away and let his unconscious subordinate fall. He'd only passed out from the pain – fainted – he wasn't in any mortal danger. Though the Accelgor may have overdone it, he let the fight get to his head.

Across Liquid's face were several wounds in his skin as a result of Faust's attack. They were only skin-deep, but it had looked like hundreds of large boils had simoultaneously exploded on the frog's face. Due to their stinging nature, strong Bug-Type attacks made things swell grotesquely – and when it swelled too much the afflicted area would implode.

Skin-deep instances usually weren't bad enough to induce fainting – though the extreme stinging pain was probably the cause for Liquid's shock. Anything deeper than surface flesh was lethal though, as it effectively caused that entire body part to explode.

Faust let his body settle down – for the speed buff he'd granted himself to disappear and for his hand to stop buzzing. As soon as that happened he knelt down and picked Liquid up over his shoulder. The Greninja might wake up before they reached the medical center anyway, but it'd be nicer if he was closer to some kind of pain drug.

_I might have gone too far with that one…_Faust thought, feeling the bruises that Liquid had dealt him as he tried to carry him away. _Still, he should understand. That was non-lethal by his standards at least._

* * *

So there that is, again I hope you all enjoyed.

If it helps, it's like Pokemon with the thematic tones of Darker Than BLACK. That's what it's like in my head anyway.

Au revoir.


	2. 2 Heavy Metal

Welcome to the second verse, continuing the story of the first.

I do not own Pokemon nor any series that may be referenced in this story.

* * *

Faust awoke slightly stiff and groggy, as much in pain from the bruises of yesterday. Rolling aimlessly amongst his covers for a few minutes, he eventually brought himself to his feet and staggered around his chambers, letting the sleepiness run its course before he could be fully alert.

His initial desire was to take a quick shower – as his ability would have benefited him from dousing himself. The second thought he had was to go and check on the condition of Liquid – who had not been conscious until yesterday. Within moments he'd hydrated up, feeling as awake and aware as he'd ever had and set off to the medical center.

His gait was as fast as a human's running speed, though he still went noticed as he near-blurred though the corridors.

'Good morning…' A great, round creature greeted as their paths crossed in one of the hallways. He was tall and had long, skinny arms, but the rest of his body was lumpy and fat. The clothes he wore were dull beige, but a patchwork of sorts was present in the form of various bits of trash.

'…Morning, Glen.' Faust replied to the custodial Garbador, not breaking stride.

Passing through the main office – a hub to the network of corridors and departments in the Unova Branch – Faust headed down the hallway that would lead to the medical center. One of the nurses greeted him at the door – an Audino named Joy who was nigh-indistinguishable from the rest of her sisters that attended patients, all also named Joy. She ensured that he was checked for any weapons – though everyone in the Branch knew that Faust didn't carry weapons. His lighter and pack of cigarettes were the closest things he had – given that he used them on his targets, not for himself – but some Pokemon did carry weapons as part of their ensemble. Liquid was an example, though there were others with varying dependance on their armaments. Pokemon in themselves were effectively living weapons.

Audino on the other hand were some of the most harmless Pokemon imaginable – almost on the level of Magikarp. Their plump but cute appearances were a welcome sigh almost anywhere, and the warm pink-white tone of their skin was calming. Other than large eyes and curly ears, the species was fairly similar to humans themselves.

'So, why are you visiting us today?' Joy asked.

'…I'm visiting a patient.' Faust replied slightly sheepishly, he hoped she didn't press any further. After a few moments of her shuffling with files and paperwork, she gave him a smile and directed towards the door.

'Please input your ID and one of the nurses inside will direct you to your friend.'

Faust cringed inwardly a little at the terminology used to describe his and Liquid's relationship, but she wouldn't have known any better so he let it slide. 'Thank you.'

He went on in, punching his code into the number tab and entering. The first thing he saw was the medical lobby which connected directly to the day clinic at the right of the room. More serious conditions that required overnight stay were to the left, the direction Faust was heading. He passed more Audino's and even a couple of patients as he made his way to where he'd left Liquid yesterday. The frog had been left in very capable hands, though the medical director had some harsh words for him then and probably would continue her lecture today. He hoped he didn't run into her.

_There he is. _The bug thought, catching side of his bedridden subordinate. _Wonderful. He's awake._ A jolt of sarcasm shot through him.

'Ah, captain! We were just discussing you.' Liquid called as the Accelgor approached. His face was bound in spider silk that was doused in sedatives, numbing the pain completely. From some of Faust's own experiences – most unfondly the thrashing he'd received at Unova's she-Dragon – he knew that Liquid's face would heal completely, by tomorrow at the latest.

'Yes we were, Faust.' A feminine voice chimed in. He didn't see its owner at first, but upon looking up at the ceiling saw where it had come from.

_Why does_ everyone_ insist on greeting me from above?_ Faust thought. The Pokemon descended to join the frog and bug, making two into three. Faust maintained his neutral appearance as the medical director touched down, detatching herself from the webbing that had held her up.

'Ms. Arachne, I see the foreign agent is better, but that's hardly a surprise seeing as you're taking care of him.' His flattery was blatant and unhidden.

'Don't bother Faust; I'm not going to lecture you today. For the first time, it's someone you've put in here – not you lying in bed.'

Faust grumbled. 'Not funny, you know as much as I do how fragile Bug-Types are.' The director simply smiled back.

Electra Arachne had become medical director in recent years, and Unova had experienced a wonderful improvement in the medical facilities. It wasn't up to the standard of Kanto – the land native to the hospitality-unmatched Chansey and head nurse Blissey – but it was now one of the best. The Galvantula was an odd choice – not being quite as warm and cuddly as most medical staff – but she was efficient and surprisingly personable. Furthermore, her aptitude for poisons as a Bug-Type – combined with being a living resource for electricity-dependant procedures – makes her one of the most proficient on an international level.

Arachne was one of the more odd Pokemon. From the waist up, one would be forgiven for thinking that she was human – with her big, bright blue eyes and bobbed blonde hair. She had a slender form with delicate fingers – fingers so dextrous that when she went to work on a patient they were almost a blur. However, waist down her torso was undeniably more Pokemon. Six long, spindly legs branched out from under her and a large electric-blue abdomen supported the rest of her body – covered with yellow fur. A Bug-Type, primarily.

From observation, it seemed that his Kalosian subordinate had taken a liking to Unovan medical hospitality – or perhaps just the medical director herself. Frogs were weird.

'Oh, tell me more about the captain's visits here?' Liquid spoke up, entering the conversation.

'Well, the first time I met him he-'

'Please don't.' Faust cut in. 'We can share stories another time. How long until he's discharged?'

'_Se detendre_, captain. There's no need to rush, the mission document states that we don't offically have to start until our third arrives. Let's relax.'

Faust relented, loosening his stance into a more comfortable one. He still had his arms crossed tightly though.

'Thank you, Faust. So Liquid, tell me more about Kalos.' Arachne said.

'Ah, _il est très belle_, _très belle_.' He languished in his foreign language. 'Such a beautiful nation, I would implore you visit there sometime. Perhaps I could bring you with me…?'

Arachne smiled warmly. 'I'd love to, but my place is here. Besides…' She reached out and pulled Faust into a squeezing hug. 'Faust'd die in a day without me – the little devil is so fragile-'

'All Bug-Types are!' He protested.

'And the Head would kill me if anything happened to Unova's fastest agent.'

Liquid raised a silk-covered eyebrow. 'Oh, he's that valuable?'

Arachne was about to respond, but Faust beat her to it. 'So I'm told. Being fast only has an advantage when facing others who specialise in the same field – and you beat them.'

'Absolutely.' Liquid was surely thinking of the previous day and their sparring match. Neither had a type advantage – though a strict type was something foreign to Greninja anyway – but the bug had been faster. '_Parle moi_…what did you score in the statistic test – in speed?'

The statistic test was a gauntlet that all Pokemon aspiring to be Field Agents had to pass. It was optional for anyone, but mandatory for those who wanted to work in the outside world from a Pokemon Branch. It typically involved a series of physical challenges as well as several written examinations – resulting in a score given in each of the seven defined stats a Pokemon could have. Species were usually averaged into single numbers – so for every Acceglor that took the test there was an average number that applied to all of them.

'The Accelgor species is notoriously fast. We rank at 145 points, only outsped by a handful of Pokemon.' Faust punctuated in a factual tone.

Liquid gave an impressed whistle. 'My species is only 122 points, not even the fastest of Kalos. We are third, behind a bat and a flaming bird.'

Faust was about to ask what he meant by that statement, when a vibrating device hidden amongst his bindings took his attention. He pulled out his phone and flipped it open. After a short exchange he finished with a quiet 'I understand' and put the communications tool away, regarding the frog and spider.

'Finish up your treatment as quickly as you can, I need you on your feet.' He said to Liquid. 'Our third has arrived.'

_**Main Lobby.**_

The Unova Branch had two entrances. One was the hidden lobby – where Faust had entered the two nights ago with the red and blue haired humans – and the main lobby, a much larger, grander and more offical entrance. The interior was much like the hangars of Unova's airport – under the management of the human Skyla – large and spacey. The main difference though, was that rather than having huge open doors for access, a large section of the floor rose and fell from the ceiling to ground as a lift. This was due to the entire base being underground anyway.

Faust waited alone a few metres from where the currently descending lift would land. The human that had called him was near the back of the room, minding his own work. The Accelgor was standing still as he waited, but an undeniable sense of excitement bubbled within him.

As soon as the Pokemon had come into view from above, Faust was trying to identify him. He managed to lay a species to the new arrival before the lift stopped its descent, but the Bug-Type was still quite in awe.

If ever a Pokemon was destined to shrug a human explosive missile like it was nothing, this was it.

Taller than most Unovan's – and with shoulders broad enough to eclipse the sun if they stood over you – the third to Faust's five-creature-cell was easily the most imposing. Each approaching step made the ground tremble, with a metallic *thud* to puncuate each footfall. From head to toe the Pokemon was armoured in plate metal, overlapping in many folds for greater movement. Primarily, the metal was a dull grey colour. Around the waist was a curtain of steel skirts, shorter at the front and longer at the back. Slung over its back was a longsword encased in a black-iron sheath. Somewhat unsettlingly, the visor – currently open – resembled a plate-welded beast's skull with long horns pointing forward, silver in colour – the same as the greaves and gauntlets of the suit. The only exposed skin that could be seen was the face; blue eyed, chalk-white and with a jaw so angular it looked knife-like.

Aggron.

He'd never met an Aggron before, and other than overall reputation he knew little about them. He wasn't even aware of any particular individual cases of the creature – this would be his first interaction of any kind with the juggernaut beasts.

They stood before each other, Faust's head angled upwards to meet the others gaze. The Steel/Rock monster easily measured a head taller than his Unovan superior. A few seconds of silence passed between them, before Faust broke it.

'You're…the Hoenn agent?' It was less a question than a statement.

The Aggron nodded. 'Gravidus.' He replied, holding out a hand in greeting. Faust was a little anxious about taking it. Not only did the Hoenn's voice sound as heavy as he looked, but the massive armoured hand gave off a sort of powderise-smaller-creatures vibe. Still, he had to make an impression, and he took the hand, shaking it.

'Gravidus?' Faust confirmed the newcomer's name. Gravidus nodded. 'Well, technically the operation should start at this point, but our second is still in bed.'

'A late riser?'

'Hospitalised. I went too hard on him in our "familiarisation exercise".' This evoked a single-breath chuckle from Gravidus. Faust asked; 'What do you find so amusing about that?'

'With no offense intended, I think you would have to try _very _hard to hospitalise me.'

'Yes, the Aggron species is notorious for being nigh-indestructible.'

'And the Accelgor species is known to be able to run circles around the fastest of Pokémon.'

Faust was quiet for a second. 'That's an overexaggeration.' He turned back to the main hub of the Branch, beckoning Gravidus with him. The heavier Pokémon followed at his left and slightly behind, giving off the impression that he knew who was boss. It seemed that – despite the massive difference in presence each held – the Aggron was informed and acted upon who was in charge.

'Perhaps, but the defined statistics of each Pokémon is relative. And relative to me, you're fast as light.' Gravidus was right; speed was _not_ one of the Aggron line's specialisation.

As they passed through the various sections of the Branch, Faust had an urge to elaborate on everything in it – as a host to a guest. Surprisingly, Gravidus seemed to already be aquainted with the structure, and even commented on some parts of it.

'Is Ciril still as eccentric as ever?' The knight asked.

'Hm?' Faust replied as he registered the question. 'Yes, he is, he-'

'And how is Queen doing?' Gravidus cut in, surprising Faust.

'…Queen?'

'Sorry, it's a nickname from when she and I worked together. Your Branch's Leader.' Gravidus restated himself.

Faust realised who the Aggron was actually talking about, and replied. 'She's…well.' He was slow with his answer, there wasn't really much to say about Q1. Most of the time she was in her office, and almost never seen outside of it. Rumours about what species of Pokemon she was – Faust didn't know – were ever in abundance.

It was then his mind twigged to what Q1 had said two days ago when he had last talked to her. That the Hoenn Field Agent was an old friend, it made sense that he'd refer to her so offhandedly and with a name not commonly known. But if it was the case that they knew each other then…

'Gravidus, do you know what her species is?' Faust asked.

For a second the heavy Steel/Rock-Type gave a perplexed look, and then as realisation dawned upon him he laughed. 'She hasn't told you!?'

'Nor the entire Branch. It's almost a competition for who'll get it right.'

'Ha ha ha! That's so like her!' The Aggron's laughs were deep and metallic, and were drawing attention from others in the hallway they were currently in. Faust waited patiently for Gravidus to finish laughing before posing another question.

'So, can you tell me what she is?'

The Iron Armour Pokemon had stopped laughing, but he still maintained a wide smile. 'No, I can't.'

'And if I invoke my authority as your superior officer?'

Gravidus shrugged. 'I still won't tell you, she's a lot scarier than any threat you can come up with.'

Faust believed that. 'Fine, she can't keep it hidden forever. Though subterfuge is not the way to go about learning it.'

'Did you learn that yourself?'

'No, thankfully. Raleigh – a Field Agent Golurk – found that out the hard way. It seemed that just because one can phase through walls doesn't grant you immunity to attacks.'

'But he didn't manage to discover?'

'She knocked him out so quickly he didn't actually see anything. Allegedly though, he does remember being threatened with her sowing his mouth shut.'

The only reply the metallic monster gave was a wide grin, strained with nostalgia.

By this point in time they had reached the medical center – and Gravidus had been _very _adamant about surrendering his weapon. Given that there was an understanding that some Pokemon were attached to their armaments on a fundamental level, the Audino receptionist let them both in with the sword strapped over his back – as long as he kept it sheathed.

Within minutes Faust had reunited with Liquid and Arachne – he wondered briefly whether she had any obligations to other patients – and the frog only had one thing to say when he beheld the imposing knight.

'_Sacre_ _Bleu_.' He remarked dimly, gawking up and down at Gravidus's tall and broad frame.

'Pardon?'

'Forgive him, he's Kalosian.' The Accelgor elaborated. 'So; Gravidus, this is Liquid. Liquid, this is Gravidus.'

'_Il est_…_tres grande_.' The frog commented before recomposing himself. He tilted his head in Gravidus's direction and smiled – though it went mostly unseen due to the medical spider silk. 'A pleasure to meet you, I feel far more confident in our mission.'

The armoured entity took the compliment humbly and regarded Arachne, introducing himself to her. 'It's nice to meet you; but I thought nursing utilities were handled by a single species per region, unless you're one of the doctors…?'

'Medical director of Unova.' She corrected him sternly. 'But I'll let the assumption slide if you keep Faust from being wounded.' She gave a wry smile, one that Faust didn't particularly like.

'Oh, is there something between you two?' Gravidus asked.

Arachne chuckled. 'No, not at all. I'm just tired of so much medical expense being used up on him – perhaps some lessons in surviving attacks wouldn't go amiss for your captain.'

'Ha!' Liquid said.

Faust rolled his eyes. 'Outstanding.' Sarcasm practically weighed down the air around him.

A silence of sorts perpetrated the air around them for a moment, neither uncomfortable nor pleasant. Suddenly, Gravidus's eyes looked more alert as though he'd just remembered something. 'Faust, how open is your Branch Leader about visits?'

Arachne almost spat with laughter, but it went ignored by the knight and bug.

'I wouldn't recommend it at all, but if you two have history…'

'Excellent. I'll see you in a bit then, hopefully this one will have gotten up.'

'Director?' Faust bounced the question to the spider.

She looked at Liquid. 'He should be fine to move around, just make sure my handiwork doesn't get mucked up.' Referring to the silk over the frogs face.

'Good. While I'm with the Branch Leader I'll ask for some leads to get us started.' Gravidus turned and left them, echoing in his armour until he was out of hearing range. A moment of awkwardness passed between the bug, spider and frog, until the latter ended it by swinging his legs off the bed.

'_D'accord, allons-y_!'

'…You were fine this whole time?' Faust asked, glaring at the foreign agent.

'One needs an excuse to lay down in the company of hospitable persons?' Liquid replied. The bug simply responded by tossing his arms in the air in frustration, walking off into the direction of the exit.

'Until next time, Arachne!' The Kalosian bid as he followed his captain out, leaving Unova's medical director to roll her eyes at the two.

_**Q1's Office.**_

Gravidus stepped brazenly into the room, closing the door behind him and giving a low whistle. 'You've gone up in the world.'

There was almost a palpable shift in tone as Unova's Branch Leader acknowledged the voice, the weight of the air causing it to almost become physical. One did not simply walk into the Branch Leader's office, much less with that level of casualness. Behind her desk, Q1 reached for her weapon and turned in the chair – intending to spring off and attack the intruder.

She stopped when she saw who it was – though it didn't make her any more friendly.

'Oh. You.'

The Aggron kept his low-key grin raised as Q1 lowered her weapon, watching her slip into a more relaxed mood. She clasped her fingers together under her chin and leaned against them, eyeing her visitor with mixed emotions.

'It's been a while. Not since-'

'I know how long it's been, Gravidus. I don't need a history lesson.'

He gave a chilled-out chuckle. 'Wow, you got uptight. Does that come with the position? Hoenn Boss Circus isn't anywhere near as wound-up as you are.'

Q1 deadpanned. 'Circus is lazy and slovenly, he's unbefitting of a role of leadership.' She paused. 'Why are you here?'

'I'm just visiting an old friend – and perchance acquiring some leads for the case, you didn't give Faust anything to really go on…'

'If I had anything to "really go on", I'd have given it to him during the briefing. Our targets are keeping their heads low for the time being, I couldn't even tell you which quarter of Unova they're in.'

'Alright, alright. I apologize.' Gravidus paused. 'You really need to relax, how long have you been in this office-'

'Don't say crap like that! Being able to relax comes much easier to you than most – it's in your nature after all.'

Gravidus was quiet, but only for as long as he allowed the silence to exist. 'Fine. I can see you're…in less of an optimum mood to receive guests. At the very least, where would you recommend we start our search? Underground organizations? Crime circles? War profiteers?'

Q1 was pensive in considering the question. 'There's an establishment just outside of Straiton City just beyond the hedge garden that might be of use to you. I would be surprised if at least one of our marks isn't hiding out in Castelia City, and even more surprised if _he _didn't know about it.'

'_He_?'

'Look for _The Day Care_, ask for Lector.'

Gravidus broke into a wider smile than before. 'And you said you didn't have any leads. Thank you-'

'Get out.'

He faltered, somewhat shocked at her words. Nevertheless, he correctly read the situation and bowed his leave, giving her one last look in the eye before closing the door behind him.

_**Skyarrow Bridge.**_

The three had met up inside the Branch base and Gravidus had filled the two in on the plan. At the mention of _The Day Care_, Faust had visibly cringed – as visibly as one could see from behind his array of bandages anyway.

'What's wrong with it, it sounds like a pretty family-friendly place.' The heavily-accented Liquid had commented.

'Couldn't be further from the truth.' Faust had bottled after that – which Gravidus noted was fairly idiotic, given that if they could prepare in advance for whatever they were facing if all three of them knew. It didn't sway the bug.

As they left, they each donned a sorry excuse for what passed as a civilian disguise. Some Pokémon were better at the practice than others – the Fairy-Type itself being so apt at blending with humans they rarely needed disguises – but the shrouds of Faust and Gravidus were comparatively _terrible_. Liquid probably got away from that label because Kalos was the had the densest population of Fairy-Type Pokémon from all around the globe, and likely learnt a thing or two from them.

In the Gravidus' case, there really was very little he could do seeing as his armour was effectively welded to his flesh – so his consisted of nothing more than a great travelling cloak wrapped around his shoulders and head, really only effective against those who had no idea what an Aggron was or even looked like.

Faust just had a black trench coat with the collar pulled as high as it went, just covered the sides and back of his head. From a distance it was passable – even with the shock of bright pink hair poking out, and the coat had doubled on more than one occasion as an apt distraction or blinding tool against enemies.

Appropriately, Liquid had managed to come up with the simplest and most effective disguise. Faust supposed it came from a lifetime of adapting by second nature, Gravidus was bitter that the other two had more flexibility. The Greninja had set upon himself a grey jacket with the zipper pulled most of the way up, tucking in the scarf and refashioning it into a cravat. He hid his marine-blue hair under a Kalosian hat known as a beret, and his legs beneath simplistic tear-away jeans, baggy enough to hide his legs' shape but not so much to get him mistaken for a Scrafty.

'How much further?' Liquid asked.

'Not long, beyond this bridge is Pinwheel Forest – then we get to the route that the Day Care sits on.' Faust replied.

'Still, why does the human government feel the need to build so many bridges?' Gravidus agreed with Liquid. 'Unova wasn't like this when I was young.'

Faust hadn't expected that. 'How old are you?' Only now had the bug given thought to the implication that Gravidus must have been roughly as old as Q1, and she'd been in power longer than he'd entered the Branch four years ago.

'34. If you're wondering, Q1 is 36.' The Aggron replied.

'I see. Hey, Gravidus – how long-'

'_Pardon moi_, _mes amis. _But I think that gentleman has been following us for quite some time.' The trio turned, and indeed there was a lone figure several tens of metres behind them – but still close enough to keep an eye. He was dressed similarly to Faust – an obscuring large coat with the collar turned up, along with a hat and glasses. All seriousness considered, he resembled cheesy cartoon spies from shows Goldenrod City broadcasted.

'Are you sure?' Gravidus asked.

'Positive. He mingled with the crowds while we were in the city, but that's my field and no one knows it better than me. He's definitely following us.' Liquid replied.

'What should we do?'

'He's human. We have the combat advantage, though I don't think his mission is to physically subdue us.' Faust directed the three to keep walking, as if they hadn't really noticed their tail. 'The likelihood that he's under orders from our targets is…plausible. The idea that all of these fugitives would come to Unova at once suggest collaboration, which gives room to the notion of a network of spies between them.'

'You think our rogues' are working together?' Liquid registered.

'It's possible. But the main thing now is to deal with this one.' Faust tipped his head back to indicate the tail. 'We can't kill him – that would be bad for Pokemon relations with humans, which aren't particularly good in Unova anyway, thanks to the Segragationist Party.'

Liquid would have asked for elaboration, but Faust went on.

'Running wouldn't do us good, not when one of our number is subpar at being fast enough to lose him.'

'How about interrogating him, it'd quicken our progress if they really are collaborating.' Gravidus suggested.

'That's an option.' Faust agreed. They were almost at the end of the bridge and to the forest, perhaps there was a chance they could lose the tracker there – even with Aggron's abysmal speed. But he didn't want to have to rely on external factors too much, and every moment longer brought the chance that the tracker would turn out to not be alone in his work.

'Alright, here's what we'll do.' Faust described a plan in which they'd take a roundabout route through the forest, darker and with less movement to move around. As Faust relayed an idea of an ambush to his companions, the other two nodded their heads sagely.

'I see, and what do we do after that?' Liquid asked. Faust guessed that Liquid wanted to hear that they'd interrogate and kill him, then be done with it.

'We…hand him over to the authorities. It'll probably mean carrying him all the way to the next town, but it's better than leaving loose ends.'

'Good plan.' Gravidus responded. 'You'll conduct us?'

'Yes. Try not to knock him unconscious either, it'll just slow us down if we have to wake him up.'

For the next hour the bug, frog and knight acted as though they were completely unaware of their follower. To the man's credit, he was skilled and they nearly lost sight of him as they forayed into the denser sections of Pinwheel Forest. Nevertheless, they eventually got deep enough to spring their ambush, and knew their roles – capture, submission and interrogation, handled by the respective three in that order.

'Now!' Faust called, leaping forth as fast as he could. In an instant, he swept the targets legs out from under them, knocking them to the ground. A short skirmish of limbs and shouts followed, ending in the target landing flat on the ground with his arms pinned to his back.

'Oi! _Toi merde_!' Came the voice. Faust raised an eyebrow before taking a real look at his captive.

Instead of their tail, Faust had Liquid pressed into the ground. The bug blinked in surprise and shock, before releasing the seething Kalosian.

'How could you get that wrong!?' Liquid hissed. 'I thought you had him!'

Faust apologetically put his hands up. 'Sorry, sorry…'

At that moment, the heavy clunking of metal announced the arrival of Gravidus on to the scene, and he asked what exactly had transpired.

'Faust screwed up!'

'Accidently.' Faust commented. 'In any case, do we still know where the target is?' He turned to the Aggron.

'I'm afraid not, captain. Still, it's pretty…poorly of you to mistake a subordinate for-'

'Hey, I said I was sorry.'

Gravidus narrowed his eyes. 'Then again, I believe your track record for assassinations and retrievals is near-perfect, it's uncanny of you to mess up like this.'

Faust grumbled. 'It happens.'

'Yes…but not so easily as this, if your record is to be believed.' Gravidus turned his eyes over to Liquid. 'Liquid, what is your opinion of Faust?'

'A thoughtless, unthinking brute.' The frog was indignant in his opinion.

'And what about yourself?'

Liquid gave an odd and confused look, shrugging as he answered. 'A fast, thin-built-'

He didn't finish before the iron-clad fist of Gravidus slammed into his jaw, knocking the frog back several feet and onto the ground. A splash of blood went with him, and coated Gravidus's knuckle.

'What was that for!?' Faust exclaimed – pulling the bigger Pokemon by the shoulder and shouting at him in the face.

'You don't do your research, do you?' The Aggron replied, keeping his eyes on the limp form of the frog. 'You're younger than me and undoubtedly skilled, but you lack the experience of a veteran – as well as the foresight to do background checks on your teammates.' He looked down at the Accelgor. 'You're fast, but not fast enough to catch someone like Liquid completely off-guard. More than that, the Kalosian has a recorded respect for his superiors and a tremendous sense of vanity. He'd never have described you or himself like he did.'

The form of Liquid twitched, and Gravidus unsheathed his blade, taking a step towards it. 'Show yourself, illusionist.'

The blue shape twisted and melded itself apart into a rending chunk of space, before reforming into a snarling red and black, crouching on three limbs. Faust's eyes widened in realization, whereas Gravidus simply huffed and narrowed his own.

'…Zoroark.'

The man was dressed in a black and red-highlighted jacket, wearing trousers and a belt with a similar colour scheme. His fingers had long, sharpened claws at their tips, and his teeth looked to be filed to points as he bore them. The two eyes in his head were sharp and cruel-looking, and his hair was pulled back into a knee-length, great ponytail. Even static however, the two Branch members seemed to find it difficult to focus on him – as if his body was constantly flickering like a candle.

Faust grunted and raised his hands, flexing them and entering a fighting stance. Gravidus gripped his greatsword with both hands placed it at his hip, taking a long-tail position.

'We'll have to see what he's done with Liquid after we beat him.'

'Uncontested.'

Zoroark smirked, and without hesitation lunged towards the bug and knight, claws bared and shadows trailing behind him.

* * *

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!

Au revoir.


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